Touring musicians live it up at the Koster family’s “rock & roll motel”

Published in The Charlotte Observer

When children move out of the house, most parents turn newly emptied bedrooms into offices, gyms, TV rooms or sewing spaces.

But when Laurie and Don Koster’s son, Chris, now 26, moved away to college in 2005, they filled his old room with concert posters, extra mattresses and touring musicians.

Since then, hundreds of musicians have stayed with the Kosters, prompting one of their regular guests, Jukebox the Ghost, to dub their home “Rock & Roll Motel.” But unlike a motel, guests here stay completely free of charge in a beautiful split-level with an in-ground pool and full-service kitchen.

According to Laurie, the entire family’s involved. Her mother, Judy Spinelli, who lives with them, loves to cook, so guests get back on the road with full bellies. And even though daughter Dana, 21, wasn’t too thrilled about all the visitors at first, she and her brother Chris are now friends with several of the bands.

“It’s been the most amazing experience of our lives,” said Don Koster. “Sometimes, they jam and play. They really open up, and you get to know them, their stories and their families. And sometimes you’re there when exciting things happen in their careers.”

In fact, the Kosters’ guest book reads a bit like an indie music “who’s who,” including Jupiter One, who toured with award-winning singer/songwriter Regina Spektor; and Joshua James, who went from sleeping in roadside tents and empty baseball fields to being featured on NPR’s “World Café.”

“We got our first taste of the local music scene at The Evening Muse,” said Laurie. “We were going there when it was still just a coffee shop. Since then, we’ve gotten to know more and more touring performers, sometimes after repeat performances, and found many needed a home away from home.”

So in 2005, Don, an information technology professional, and Laurie, a Web designer and publisher of a Charlotte Live Music newsletter, saw their son’s old bedroom as a unique opportunity when they met a Nashville singer/songwriter who needed a place to stay after his performance at the Muse in NoDa.

“These artists are really working hard. They’re going from city to city, performing for sometimes $40-60 a night, if that,” said Don. “We give them a warm place to stay and a shower. We feed them. At 9 in the morning, they don’t have housekeeping knocking on the door to kick them out. They’re just so grateful.”

The Kosters are selective about their guests though – only inviting those they respect artistically and have either met in person or through recommendation. Six years later, they’ve only one had one bad experience, in stark contrast to the hundreds who’ve helped them do the dishes and make the beds.

“If it weren’t for Laurie, I’d be sitting on the couch at home saying I’m not going out to see anything, listening to whatever’s on the radio. That’s what I’d be,” said Don. “I wouldn’t know any of these people. They really have become like our family.”

And many of the bands treat the Kosters as if they’re a second family, like The Brilliant Inventions, who have visited 20 times; Pacifico, who’s taken to calling them Uncle Don and Aunt Laurie; and Miniature Tigers, who play in Raleigh but still travel to Charlotte after their shows just to visit them.

“What’s great is, we’ll be in awe of them as artists, and they’ll be in awe of us for helping them,” said Don. “We don’t think anything of it, but they think the world of it. They’re very appreciative and respectful, and they don’t take it for granted. It’s a mutual admiration society.”

Even though the Kosters mostly frequent music venues in central Charlotte, like The Evening Muse, Snug Harbor and Visulite Theatre, they (and their guests) prefer relaxing after a show by spending time in the kitchen or by the pool in their quiet, family-oriented south Charlotte neighborhood, said Don.

“They don’t get too wild and crazy, like you’d think. Some even cook for us,” said Laurie. “Glasgow, a band from Louisiana, young kids, made us jambalaya. Robert Johnson, from the Swedish band Case Conrad, is a chef. He made us this pasta sauce with shredded carrots that was ‘out of this world’ good.”

According to the Kosters, the artists also bring a spirit of fun to the house. Just last year, their guests Breaking Laces rode two volunteer participants around NoDa and Plaza-Midwood in the band’s tour van, quizzing them on music trivia as a low-budget take-off on the Discovery Channel show “Cash Cab.”

“All these different people from all walks of life, they leave their egos behind totally. They just love music and can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Laurie. “They’re bringing enjoyment, like all music does. We need to support them, go to their shows and help them at least have a little gas money.”